Bridget Bishop
Bridget Bishop (nee Playfer; c. 1632-10 June 1692) was a blood witch and the first person accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Bishop may have been accused because she stood to inherit from her deceased husband. She was said to own a tavern in her home, where shuffleboard was played and minors were served. She deliberately dressed differently, in a trademark red tunic, and was very outspoken. Biography Early life Bridget was married three or four times. She married her first husband Captain Samuel Wesselby on April 13, 1660, at St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Norwich, England. She had only one son and one daughter from her first marriage; Benjamin and Mary. She had another daughter from her marriage to Thomas Oliver; Christian Oliver, born May 8, 1667. Her second marriage, on July 26, 1666, was to Thomas Oliver, a widower and prominent business man. She was earlier accused of bewitching Thomas Oliver to death, but was acquitted for lack of evidence. Her last marriage c. 1687 was to Edward Bishop, a prosperous sawyer, whose family lived in Beverly. Salem Witch Trials Bishop was accused of bewitching five young women; Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard, on the date of her examination by the authorities, April 19, 1692. A record of her trial was given by Cotton Mather in "The Wonders of the Invisible World". In his book, Mather recorded that several people testified against Bishop, stating that the shape of Bishop would pinch, choke or bite them. The shape also threatened to drown one victim if she did not write her name in a certain book. During the trial, anytime Bishop would look upon one of those supposed to be tortured by her, they would be immediately struck down and only her touch would revive them. More allegations were made during the trial including that of a woman saying that the apparition of Bishop tore her coat, upon further examination her coat was found to be torn in the exact spot. Mather mentions that the truth of these many accusations carried too much suspicion, however. William Stacy, a middle aged man in Salem town, testified that Bishop had previously made statements to him that other people in the town considered her to be a witch. He confronted her with the allegation that she was using witchcraft to torment him, which she denied. Another local man, Samuel Shattuck, accused Bishop of bewitching his child and also of striking his son with a spade. He also testified that Bishop asked him to dye lace, which apparently was too small to be used on anything but a poppet (doll used in spell-casting). John and William Bly, father and son, testified about finding poppets in Bishop's house and also about their cat that appeared to be bewitched, or poisoned, after a dispute with Bishop. Other victims of Bishop, as recorded by Mather, include Deliverance Hobbs, John Cook, Samuel Gray, Richard Coman, and John Louder. During her sentencing, a jury of women found a third nipple upon Bishop (then considered a sure sign of witchcraft), yet upon a second examination the nipple was not found. In the end Mather states that the biggest thing that condemned Bishop was the gross amount of lying she committed in court. According to Mather, "there was little occasion to prove the witchcraft, it being evident and notorious to all beholders." Bishop was sentenced to death and hanged. Before she took her final breath she said: "You will keep silent." Category:17th century births Category:17th century deaths Category:Females Category:Blood witches Category:Widowed characters Category:Salem Witch Trials Category:Executed for witchcraft